Early Life and Education of George W. Bush: A Complete Timeline

Discover the defining moments in the early life of George W. Bush. From birth to education, explore key events.

George W. Bush served as the 43rd President of the United States from 2001 to 2009. Prior to his presidency, he was the 46th Governor of Texas from 1995 to 2000. As president, he launched the War on Terror in response to the September 11 attacks, leading to military interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq. Domestically, he enacted education reform legislation known as No Child Left Behind, as well as tax cuts and reforms to Medicare. His presidency was marked by significant events including Hurricane Katrina and the financial crisis of 2008.

Sections (7)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

1935: George H. Mahon Held Congressional Seat

Since 1935, George H. Mahon had held the Texas's 19th congressional district seat for the Democratic Party.

July 6, 1946: George W. Bush's Birth

On July 6, 1946, George Walker Bush was born in New Haven, Connecticut, the first child of George Herbert Walker Bush and Barbara Pierce.

1953: Death of Robin Bush

In 1953, George W. Bush's younger sister, Robin, died from leukemia at the age of three.

1964: Attendance at Yale University

In 1964, George W. Bush began attending Yale University.

1967: Engagement to Cathryn Lee Wolfman

In 1967, George W. Bush was engaged to Cathryn Lee Wolfman, though the engagement did not last.

May 1968: Commissioned into the Texas Air National Guard

In May 1968, George W. Bush was commissioned into the Texas Air National Guard.

1968: Graduation from Yale University

In 1968, George W. Bush graduated from Yale University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history.

1973: Drilling with the Alabama Air National Guard

In early 1973, George W. Bush drilled with the 187th Fighter Wing of the Alabama Air National Guard, while working on Winton M. Blount's Senate campaign.

1973: Entrance to Harvard Business School

In the fall of 1973, George W. Bush entered Harvard Business School.

November 21, 1974: Honorable Discharge from Air Force Reserve

On November 21, 1974, George W. Bush was honorably discharged from the Air Force Reserve.

1975: Graduation from Harvard Business School

In 1975, George W. Bush graduated from Harvard Business School after entering in the fall of 1973.

September 4, 1976: Arrest for Driving Under the Influence

On September 4, 1976, George W. Bush was arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) in Kennebunkport, Maine.

1977: Establishment of Arbusto Energy

In 1977, George W. Bush established Arbusto Energy, a small oil exploration company.

1977: Marriage to Laura Welch

In 1977, George W. Bush married Laura Welch after a three-month courtship.

1978: Arbusto Energy Begins Operations

In 1978, Arbusto Energy, George W. Bush's oil exploration company, began operations.

November 25, 1981: Birth of Twin Daughters

On November 25, 1981, Laura Bush gave birth to fraternal twin daughters, Barbara and Jenna.

1981: Father Becomes Vice President

In 1981, George W. Bush's father, George H.W. Bush, became Ronald Reagan's vice president.

1984: Merger with Spectrum 7

In 1984, George W. Bush's company, Bush Exploration, merged with Spectrum 7, and Bush became chairman.

1986: Decision to Give Up Alcohol

In 1986, George W. Bush decided to give up alcohol, attributing the decision to his wife's influence and his faith in God.

1988: Move to Washington, D.C. for Father's Campaign

In 1988, George W. Bush and his family moved to Washington, D.C., to work on his father's campaign for the U.S. presidency.

April 1989: Purchase of Texas Rangers Controlling Interest

In April 1989, George W. Bush arranged for a group of investors to purchase a controlling interest in the Texas Rangers, investing $500,000 himself.

1989: Father Becomes President

In 1989, George W. Bush's father, George H.W. Bush, became the 41st U.S. president.

December 1991: Appointment to Father's Re-election Campaign

In December 1991, George W. Bush was named to run his father's 1992 presidential re-election campaign as a campaign advisor.

1992: Father's Re-election Campaign

In 1992, George W. Bush assisted his father by campaigning across the country for his father's presidential re-election campaign.

1993: End of Father's Presidency

In 1993, George H.W. Bush's presidency came to an end.

1994: Candidacy for Texas Governor

In 1994, George W. Bush declared his candidacy for the Texas gubernatorial election.

1998: Sale of Texas Rangers Shares

In 1998, George W. Bush's sale of his shares in the Texas Rangers brought him over $15 million from his initial investment.

June 10, 2000: Jesus Day in Texas

On June 10, 2000, George W. Bush proclaimed it to be Jesus Day in Texas, urging all Texans to serve those in need.

July 25, 2000: Selection of Dick Cheney as Running Mate

On July 25, 2000, George W. Bush selected Dick Cheney as his running mate for the presidential election.

2000: Presidential Campaign

By early 2000, the presidential race had centered on George W. Bush and Arizona Senator John McCain, with Bush campaigning as a compassionate conservative.

2000: Immigration to the U.S. increases

From 2000 to 2005, nearly eight million immigrants came to the U.S., more than in any other five-year period in the nation's history. Almost half entered illegally.

2000: Focus of National Attention

Throughout George W. Bush's first term, he was the focus of national attention as a potential future presidential candidate and after his re-election in 1998, he decided to seek the 2000 Republican presidential nomination.

September 11, 2001: September 11 Terrorist Attacks

On September 11, 2001, the terrorist attacks reshaped the Bush administration, leading to the war on terror and the creation of the Department of Homeland Security.

2002: No Child Left Behind Act Signed into Law

In early 2002, President Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act into law, a bipartisan education initiative aimed at closing the gap between rich and poor student performance, providing options to parents with students in low-performing schools, and targeting more federal funding to low-income schools.

June 2005: Release of Air National Guard Records

In June 2005, the Department of Defense released all the records of George W. Bush's Texas Air National Guard service.

2005: Immigration to the U.S. increases

From 2000 to 2005, nearly eight million immigrants came to the U.S., more than in any other five-year period in the nation's history. Almost half entered illegally.

2007: Financial Crisis and Low Approval Ratings

During 2007, George W. Bush faced one of the lowest approval ratings during the financial crisis.

2008: Financial Crisis Deepens

In 2008, the financial crisis deepened, further impacting George W. Bush's presidency.

March 2009: First post-presidency speech

In March 2009, George W. Bush delivered his first post-presidency speech in Calgary, Alberta, appeared via video on The Colbert Report, and attended the funeral of Senator Ted Kennedy.

Loading Video...

April 2009: Appearance at Texas Rangers game

In April 2009, George W. Bush attended a Texas Rangers game, where he thanked the people of Dallas for helping him settle in.

November 5, 2009: Visit to Fort Hood Shooting Survivors and Families

Following the Fort Hood shooting on November 5, 2009, George W. Bush and Laura Bush paid a private, undisclosed visit to the survivors and victims' families the day after the shooting.

January 2010: Establishment of Clinton Bush Haiti Fund

In January 2010, at President Obama's request, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton established the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund to raise contributions for relief and recovery efforts following the 2010 Haiti earthquake earlier that month.

November 9, 2010: Release of 'Decision Points' memoir

On November 9, 2010, George W. Bush released his memoirs, "Decision Points". He discussed his presidency, highlighting his biggest accomplishment as keeping the country safe and his greatest failure as the inability to secure the passage of Social Security reform. He also defended his administration's enhanced interrogation techniques.

Decision Points

Check it on Amazon

2010: Attendance at Texas Rangers Playoff Games

In 2010, George W. Bush attended every home playoff game for the Texas Rangers, and threw out the ceremonial first pitch at Game 4 of the 2010 World Series with his father.

May 2, 2011: Notification of Osama bin Laden's Death

On May 2, 2011, President Obama called George W. Bush, who was at a restaurant with his wife, to inform him that Osama bin Laden had been killed.

2012: Foreword to economics book and support for Mitt Romney

In 2012, George W. Bush wrote the foreword to "The 4% Solution: Unleashing the Economic Growth America Needs" and supported Mitt Romney for president, appearing in a videotape at the Republican National Convention.

August 6, 2013: Treatment for Coronary Artery Blockage

On August 6, 2013, George W. Bush was successfully treated for a coronary artery blockage with a stent. The blockage was discovered during an annual medical examination.

November 19, 2013: Appearance on The Tonight Show

On November 19, 2013, George W. Bush and his wife Laura appeared on NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Bush stated that he does not comment publicly about the Obama administration because he believes "it's good for the country to have a former president criticize his successor."

Loading Video...

2014: Forum on Education and Health & Biography Publication

In 2014, Alongside the United States–Africa Leaders Summit, Bush, Michelle Obama, the State Department, and the George W. Bush Institute hosted a daylong forum on education and health with the spouses of the African leaders attending the summit. On November 11, Bush published a biography of his father titled 41: A Portrait of My Father.

41: A Portrait of My Father

Check it on Amazon

2016: Congratulations to Trump on Election Victory

After the 2016 elections, Bush, his father, and his brother Jeb called Trump on the phone to congratulate him on his victory.

2016: Support for Jeb Bush and Concerns About the Republican Party

During the early stages of the 2016 Republican presidential primaries, George W. Bush campaigned for his brother Jeb Bush. After Donald Trump won the party's nomination, Bush refused to endorse Trump and did not attend the party's convention. Bush privately expressed concern that he would be the last Republican president and left his presidential ballot blank instead of voting for Trump.

2016: Statement on Dallas Police Shooting

In 2016, George W. Bush reacted to the shooting of Dallas police officers by condemning the violence, stating, "Murdering the innocent is always evil, never more so than when the lives taken belong to those who protect our families and communities."

January 20, 2017: Attendance at Trump's Inauguration and Post-Ceremony Comments

On January 20, 2017, George W. Bush and his wife attended Donald Trump's first inauguration. Images of Bush struggling to put on a rain poncho during the ceremony became an internet meme. While leaving the event, Bush allegedly described the ceremony, and Trump's inaugural address in particular, as "some weird shit".

February 2017: Release of Portraits of Courage

In February 2017, George W. Bush released a book of his own portraits of veterans called Portraits of Courage.

Portraits of Courage: A Commander in Chief's Tribute to America's Warriors

Check it on Amazon

September 7, 2017: Partnership for One America Appeal

On September 7, 2017, George W. Bush partnered with former presidents Jimmy Carter, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama to work with One America Appeal to help the victims of Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma in the Gulf Coast and Texas communities.

September 1, 2018: Eulogy at John McCain's Funeral

On September 1, 2018, George W. Bush and Laura Bush attended the funeral of John McCain at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., where Bush spoke.

September 2018: Friendship with Michelle Obama at McCain Funeral

In September 2018, George W. Bush famously passed mints to Michelle Obama during the McCain funeral.

December 2018: Friendship with Michelle Obama at Bush Senior's Funeral

In December 2018, George W. Bush gave mints to Michelle Obama again during the funeral of his father.

May 2019: Drawing a Portrait of Roh Moo-hyun

In May 2019, on the tenth anniversary of former South Korean president Roh Moo-hyun's death, George W. Bush drew a portrait of Roh to give to his family.

May 2019: Visit to South Korea for Roh Moo-hyun's Anniversary

In May 2019, on the tenth anniversary of former South Korean president Roh Moo-hyun's death, George W. Bush visited South Korea to pay respects to Roh, delivering a short eulogy.

June 1, 2020: Statement on the Murder of George Floyd

On June 1, 2020, George W. Bush released a statement addressing the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent nationwide reaction and protests, where he and former first lady Laura Bush "are anguished by the brutal suffocation of George Floyd and disturbed by the injustice and fear that suffocate our country".

2020: Fundraising and Non-Attendance at Republican National Convention

In 2020, George W. Bush did not give any endorsements during the presidential election, but held a virtual fundraiser for U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Cory Gardner, Martha McSally, and Thom Tillis. He also did not attend the 2020 Republican National Convention.

January 6, 2021: Condemnation of the U.S. Capitol Attack

On January 6, 2021, following the U.S. Capitol attack, George W. Bush denounced the violence and attack alongside the three other living former presidents. Bush stated that "this is how election results are disputed in a banana republic, not our democratic republic", and that "it is a sickening and heartbreaking sight".

April 2021: Write-in Vote for Condoleezza Rice

In April 2021, George W. Bush told People magazine that he did not vote for either Trump or Biden in the 2020 election. Instead, he wrote in Condoleezza Rice.

September 11, 2021: Speech at Flight 93 National Memorial

On September 11, 2021, the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, George W. Bush gave a speech at the Flight 93 National Memorial, praising the heroism of the people on Flight 93 and the spirit of America.

2023: Threw First Pitch in Game 1 of World Series

In 2023, George W. Bush threw the first pitch in Game 1 of the World Series.

July 13, 2024: Condemnation of Assassination Attempt on Trump

On July 13, 2024, George W. Bush condemned the assassination attempt on former President Trump, calling it "cowardly" and applauding the Secret Service's response.